More Philadelphia schools will return to partial in-person learning this month

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers approved 23 school buildings scheduled to reopen at the end of the month for in-person learning.

The announcement, made on April 5, is the latest development in the School District’s second phase of its Hybrid Learning Plan. A majority of the 23 buildings are made up of middle schools, where third through fifth graders will resume in-person learning on April 26 for two days per week and digital learning for three days per week, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Sixth through eighth graders with complex special needs will also return to in-person learning on April 26, according to Great Philly Schools. 

“We look forward to welcoming more students back to school for in-person learning in the coming weeks,” School District of Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite wrote in a statement.

While most elementary and middle schoolers will be able to experience in-person learning this school year, it has not yet been decided if the remaining sixth through twelfth graders will return at all, the Inquirer reported.

Last month, prekindergarten through second grade students were able to return to in-person learning, the Inquirer reported. Only about one-third of families, however, have opted for in-person learning. 

To ensure open communication, the district continues to release bi-weekly reports regarding school reopening plans. Following the compromise between the PFT and school officials, students will gradually return to in-person for the remainder of this semester.

“This is a big first step in the right direction,” Hite told WHYY. “It’s not one of us doing it alone, but us doing it together.”